a quick guide to entry level recorders + some pro-sumer options

this guide is meant as a quick reference for those looking to buy perhaps their first recorder. In it I simply try to highlight some of the main strengths and weaknesses of each model currently on the market. These observations are based on years of field recording experience + being fortunate that I get to meet hundreds of other recordists, all with different interests in field recording, each year whilst running workshops / giving talks and lectures etc.   Whilst I am drawing on my own knowledge and experience, with the added benefit of access to 1000's of other recordists feedback, this guide attempts to stick to facts or at least opinions based on practical issues.

As I often say, even with the recorders that, shall we say, aren't exactly the best of the bunch, considering how far the technology has come in the last 20 years they still offer a lot for their money. Having said that if one is spending a couple of hundred quid on one you might as well avoid recorders that have been bettered by newer models or have known issues for use in field recording. Its worth remembering that most of these were not designed for field recording - they were built for the home studio / music market and therefore some of the compromises involved might not be noticeable in those situations but are when it comes to what we'll be using them for. In general terms field recording is pushing this technology hard in terms of volume levels, pre-amp performance, audio and build quality etc.

if you have already bought your hand held recorder perhaps don't read this guide ! all of them have good points and not so good so you might read something negative about your choice.

for clarity the definition of 'hand held recorder' is simply a recorder designed to fit into the palm of one hand or ones coat pocket. Small and lightweight, usually running on conventional batteries or small re-chargeable ones. The term 'hand held' is quite misleading though, as holding them in your hand is often not the best thing to do when field recording, mainly because you'll get handling noise, especially if using the built-in mics.

basic key points about hand held recorders:

positive:

small

compact

lightweight

handy to carry at all times

easy to use without being noticed

mostly between £100-£400

negative:

can be rather plastic-y in terms of build quality

low quality, noisy pre-amps

reduced input / output options

quality of built in mics varies (sound wise)

battery performance can vary

Korg

MR2 when first launched the MR2 was the only 1bit hand held recorder, an invention aimed at sound design for the games industry (in basic terms it allowed various audio options whilst keeping file sizes on the small side), however advances in the budget for sound in that area of the industry and indeed a general shift to higher quality sound all round meant that this feature was no longer as important. 

So, how does it stack up in general: its rather good. The built in mics are amongst the best in this category of recorder and its pre-amps perform well also. Its possible to save up to 10 settings configurations, which some might find useful. However it only has a mini-jack input for external mics and is, imo, overpriced.

Marantz
known mostly for their 'brick recorders that now look and feel dated + have a bit of a reputation for card read errors and poor battery performance.
PMD620mkII the only pocket size recorder in their range, this is 'ok' but feels a bit clunky compared to others at the same price point. 
PMD661mkII large for a handheld, decent pre-amps and marantz have improved battery performance but its still lags behind other manufacturers.

Nagra

Nagra have been at the forefront of mobile sound recording technology for a very long time and their professional recorders are amongst the very best. It smaller entry level recorders however are a bit disappointing given their usual standards. They're still well built and perform ok, but its simply that one rather expects something from Nagra to knock the socks of its competition.

pico designed as an upmarket dictaphone really and ok for this type of recorder. build quality is higher than others at this level and the built-in mics sound good. Battery life is impressive but those with an interest in field recording will perhaps do better by spending their money elsewhere.

mezzo another dictaphone style recorder from Nagra. Again, ok but folks with an interest in field recording in a wider sense perhaps should look elsewhere.

lino good build quality and built in mics. no xlr inputs. not the cheapest hand held or indeed the cheapest good hand held, but it is a Nagra.

sd the SD is Nagra's premium hand held recorder and though its the most expensive by quite some way it is a professional piece of equipment. All metal casing and sturdy as heck. It doesn't have xlr inputs but Nagra have concentrated on building a high quality recorder and not trying to cram everything in. 

Olympus

you'll see less reviews of Olympus recorders than other brands perhaps but this is not a reflection of their quality, rather that the don't tend to court the music press in the same way as some others. Their hand held recorders are actually some of the better ones - in simply mic tests on workshops for example we've often found that the Olympus built in mics have a more natural, uncoloured sound than other manufacturers in this range. The RSPB used their LS10's for documenting bird song for example.

LS3 this is a basic dictaphone style recorder and as such I wouldn't suggest it for anyone wanting to get into field recording per say.

LS5 again, a dictaphone - a good dictaphone but again, I would suggest spending a bit more on a recorder that'll perform better in the field

LS10 (discontinued) a rather good, small recorder. Olympus have some of the best sounding built in mics in this class and their pre-amps are ok also. Again, only has built in mics & a mini-jack for external mics.

LS11 an 'ok' step up from the LS10 - but not much of an improvement. Overpriced imo.

LS12 intended to replace the LS10 and its very similar in performance but the build is less impressive and more plastic-y. 

LS14 again, decent build, built in mics and pre-amps. Reliable and easy to use.

LS100 one of the best 2 channel hand helds on the market. Built well, good built in mics, xlr inputs, decent pre-amps. On the downside the headphone amp is a bit on the quiet side and it has its own rechargeable battery, so less easy to replace if you're out and about and it runs out of charge.

Roland

R05 not bad for its size and price but quite dull really and certainly not the best build or sound. That said the battery life is impressive.

R09 (discontinued) again, it was ok for its price and size but it does now look and feel a bit old.

R26 lots of folks were attracted to this because, when it was launched, it was the only 6 channel hand held recorder - however as is often the case, in cramming multi-channels into a small, low cost unit corners have been cut. Firstly its very plastic-y and brittle. Drop it even a few inches and you stand a good chance of breaking it. The built in mics are ok, but not as good as the ones on some other hand helds, and its pre-amps whilst not the worst performing aren't the best either. It has a different way of handling inputs (impedance etc) and some other technical factors and so it can be problematic when using unconventional mics (contact mics, hydrophones etc). Its also quite large for a hand held recorder - you certainly couldn't fit it in most jacket pockets for example.

Sony

Sony hand held recorders have a good reputation for build and sound quality. None have xlr inputs but other than that they are certainly one of the brands to consider.

PCM-10 quite a good small recorder for the price. Good build quality and the built in mics sound good also. 

PCM-50 (discontinued) again, a good recorder for the price. Reliable, well built and good battery life.

PCM-100 lots of folks who liked the PCM-50 were looking forward to the 100 but at its current price point it does seem rather overpriced for a recorder without xlr inputs. Having said that its the usual Sony quality.
* a new sony to replace the 50 & the 100 will be released in 2019, with xlr inputs.

Sound Devices
with a solid reputation for build & sound quality SD were bound to see the signs & launch something into the smaller recorder sector. With some niggles around channel linking they've done this with the new mixpre 3, 6 & 10 mixer / recorders.
mixpre 3 / 6 / 10 very impressive and for those willing to spend a bit more, coming in at around £600 for the 3 (three channels), £910 for the 6 (6 channels) & £1500 for the 10 (10 channels) what you get is professional quality sound and design. They eat standard AA batteries fast but you can get a sled that allows powering via l-mount batteries for several hours of recording or use a decent usb-c battery pack for days of recording. 

Tascam

DR05 another small dictaphone style recorder. as with the others I would suggest not ideal for a first recorder for those interested in wider field recording.

DR-100 (discontinued) better build quality than the Zoom H4N, which was its main rival for a time and better sounding built-in mics and pre-amps, though it now seems a bit on the weal side compared to newer models. Common issue is that connecting xlr's / xlr adaptors that don't have specific locking tab slots to the xlr inputs results in them getting stuck in place.

DR-100mkII a decent upgrade to the mkI, with improved pre-amps. Same common issue as with mkI.
DR-40 again, an 'ok' recorder for the price but with the same issue of jacks and adaptors getting stuck in the combo sockets. This seems to be a common feature of Tascam recorders.

DR22-wl it's ok. nothing really exciting, unless you think having wi-fi on your recorder is a good idea ! It's cheap and the pre-amps are about the same as some others at this price point. Again, my advice would be to perhaps spend a bit more for better performance.

DR44-wl if you want a 4 channel recorder for around £200 with ok pre-amps and xlr inputs then this is worth considering. Again, its ok for the price. 

DR-60dmkII 4 channel recorder, designed for use with camera's, but in a practical sense that's more to do with the shape of the unit than it's features. Has Tascam's latest pre-amps, which are good for this level.

DR-70d 4 channel recorder, again designed for use with DSLR camera's. Similar performance to the DR-60mkII but with a different layout allowing for easier adjustment of the tracks in the field. 

Zoom

for a while Zoom marketed some of the most affordable digital recorders all be it with some issues with noisy pre-amps and build quality (at their price point, as with all recorders in this range, there are compromises). Their market was home recording for musicians but as the field has expanded and developed they are now looking at the features that non-exclusively music recordists value. 

H1 dictaphone-style recorder. cheap and fun perhaps but spend a bit more.

H2N in general this is a Zoom recorder I think is ok value. Its cheap enough to be fun and it has a decent go at providing 4 channel sound (although you can't adjust each channel fully). The built in mics can be set to capture stereo, mid/side etc.  Its small and the batteries last for a good amount of time. 

H4N / H4NSP for a time this was probably the most common hand held recorder. When it was launched, for the price it appeared to offer a lot but the somewhat noisy pre-amps, build quality and boxy sounding built-in mics soon showed their limitations. The newer version (H4NSP) improves the pre-amps and the build quality a bit though other recorders in their range are perhaps more suited to field recording.

H5 with the H5 Zoom are trying to improve their reputation in terms of FR. Build quality is better and the pre-amps have been improved and the built in mics (modular) are a bit better also. However if you're using contact mics & hydrophones there is a problem with the sound of the card write system being audible (at a low level) - this is a design flaw with the H5 & H6.

H6 The H6 is a 6 track recorder with interchangeable mic units. As with the H5 there are improvements in terms of pre-amps, build quality and mics. With the H6 Zoom have edged up in the ratings - but see the H5 above for one design flaw. With the H5 and H6 its now more about looking at similar recorders in this price range and working out which has the features you want / need. The menu layout that Zoom use isn't the most user friendly but to be honest most recorders in this category have the same issue.
F4/F8 ok, so these aren't 'hand held' recorders and i'll be writing a separate guide to mid-level / pro-sumer devices soon, but their price point and features mean that those looking for a step up from hand held but who can't stretch to Sound Devices, Nagra, Sonosax, Zaxcom etc now have a two new and interesting options.

to sum up:

In conclusion what I will say is that any recorder will get you started. If you can only afford one of the lower cost ones then getting hold of one and starting to record will begin your journey and you will learn a lot from any recorder. Perhaps a key consideration is how quickly do you want to learn that you want a better recorder ! 

Whichever recorder you buy have fun with it. Understand that it won't give you the same sound quality as a mid-level or professional recorder but compared to the tape recorders some of us started out with you will be able to get some impressive results. Its actually a good way to learn to use cheaper equipment - it allows you to push the technology and find out what you need and want from the equipment you use. 

https://jezrileyfrench.co.uk/

mini-guide: waterproof roll top backpacks

Dedicated ‘audio bags’ can be expensive and whilst convenient for location recording for productions more and more recordists want to be less visible or have a wider range of sonic interests. Indeed most rarely have need for a specific audio bag. I’m always interested in finding other solutions for carrying equipment (see:   http://jezrileyfrench-aquietposition.blogspot.com/2012/02/) and myself tend to travel light and with everything packed into a crumpler camera backpack. 

With the rise of professional level lower cost and smaller recorders (such as the Sound Devices Mixpre 3 and 6), the increasing use of small profile microphones (omni pairs such as DPA4060 etc), a backpack is an obvious solution. Most of the camera style designs have compartments for keeping things organised and are rain proof to some degree - the crumpler that I use for example. However there are times when we might want to think about a more waterproof solution, particularly when in humid or freezing conditions. There are, of course, lots of these on the market and I haven’t been able to test them all. Additionally the range varies in each country. Here are 3 widely available brands:

key things I was looking for:

. how waterproof they really were in practice

. amount of condensation build up inside the bag

. ergonomics / comfort

. durability

. cost vs quality



1) The Friendly Swede 33 litre

at £29 or so, this is a decent bag for the price + it does have a mesh pocket inside as well as one for a 15inch laptop and a pocket on the front. So far it’s performed well - no major complaints, though it does seem to be a bit more susceptible to condensation build up on longer walks - especially from contact with ones back. In short, whilst it's ok some of the other options simply felt a but more rugged and comfortable.
rain: no leeks in light of heavy rain when properly closed.

2) Overboard 30 litre 

I have used overboard waterproof ‘tube’ bags for carrying around spare equipment on workshops when out in the field - handy for cables etc. and have always found them to be very well made without being excessively expensive. The same can be said for this backpack. So far its stood up well to light and heavy rain, reasonable humidity and a series of stress tests to ensure straps and seems hold up. As with most of these style bags they are basically one compartment and with a roll-over style top opening. It’d be nice perhaps to have an inner pocket for a laptop when travelling & using it as cabin baggage for example, but with a decent sleeve & careful packing this isn’t a massive problem. Having done a fair bit of research into these bags it seems to be that the ones that do have a pocket for a laptop inside tend to be less rugged, generally speaking because they’re not made for the outdoor / heavy duty / extreme sports side of the market. There isn’t a waist strap though and this can be an issue when carrying enough equipment to fit the large 30 litre capacity. After a few weeks of testing that is the only downside to this one that I keep being reminded of when using. At between £39-£50 though it is very good value.

rain: no leakage in light or heavy rain, when properly closed

3)    lomo 40 litre

This is big ! I mean at 40 litre capacity you can fit lots of kit in here, along with clothes for a trip of a few days. On some airlines it might not squeeze into their cabin bag rules but for most it can be possible, if one pays attention to the depth (28cm max whereas most cabin bag regs are 25cm max). Again, so far it has survived testing well - no problems to speak of and it also has a waist strap for a bit more support when walking distances. With both this and the Overboard bag I also tested for condensation build up by placing a warm-ish recorder and battery pack into the bag, sealing and checking after 5mins, 10mins and 15mins. With a small silica pouch in the bags at 5mins both felt slightly as if condensation might be on the way - none there but a change in the feel of the material near to the recorder - but at 10mins this had returned to normal. I also tested in a similar manner but with the recorder and battery pack first placed in the small protective sleeve / bag that I use. This led to no problems at all in both the lomo and the overboard bag. This lomo is around £35 so again, good value.

rain: no leakage in light or heavy rain when properly closed

* caveat: all of the bags still need to be tested in an area of very high humidity and full snow / ice conditions. 

murmuration

4th - 10th June 2018

with 
Chris Watson
Jez riley French 

and special guests inc. Heather Ross, Stephanie John, Leah Barclay +

i'm pleased to announce the first murmuration - a Scottish gathering of listeners in an area of stunning habitats from Munros (mountains over 3000 feet) to Lochs, rivers and glens.

The trip promises to be not only a rich source of inspiration, listening and recording possibilities but a chance to discuss and share knowledge around the subjects of located sound, acoustic ecology and contemporary sound practice in its varied forms.

cost: £795 per person

which includes 6 nights full board accommodation in Glenshee, on the edge of the Cairngorms

Monday 4th June to Sunday 10th June, 2018

to secure your place please email Jez here

(see below for booking terms & conditions)

The week is intended for those with some experience of working with located sound / field recording & other areas of experiential site-specific work as it will be in the format of a field trip / gathering rather than a series of formal, instructional steps for beginners. That said we of course welcome participants at all stages of experience and both Jez & Chris will be on hand throughout to offer guidance, support and deliver talks on various aspects of the act & art of listening. These will be scheduled on site to fit in with the weather and with the interests of those attending, but will include discussion of subjects such as:

. ambisonic recording

. extended field recording techniques (contact microphones, hydrophones, coils, ultrasonics, geophones & infrasound)

. sound diffusion

. the history of field recording & of contemporary sound practices (sound art, sound design, location sound)

. the ecological ear & environmental sonic concerns

. microphone & recorder choice / listening through the technology

. the psychology of listening

Apart from the always varied and interesting participants who will be coming from a wide range of sound based backgrounds Jez & Chris have extensive experience of located sound recording, sound art, sound ecology, sound design, response to locales and related areas, so whatever your connection to sound or a sense of place there will be plenty of information and ideas to share and explore. We’ll also be inviting some guests to join us, to assist, share their insights, give talks, share work and lead sound walks. full details will follow shortly.

location

Accommodation for this unique trip will be at Gulabin Lodge in Glenshee, Highland Perthshire. We have booked the entire site, including the house, to ensure we can come & go as we please at all hours.

As mentioned, the accommodation is fairly remote and so the nearest train station is either Pitlochry or Dundee, some 45 - 60 mins away by car. 

The nearest airports are Edinburgh and Aberdeen, both around 2hrs away or Glasgow which is 2hrs 15mins away.

once all places on the trip are filled we’ll email you all allowing you to connect with each other & discuss car sharing options, lifts to & from the station etc.

Accommodation is in shared rooms, most of which have between 2 and 9 beds. The lodge can sleep a total of 37 people however to ensure we have space to spread out and for a good group size places available for participants are limited to well below capacity. Bed lined is provided but you do need to bring your own towels.

We’ll have full catering consisting breakfast, packed lunches (or soup / sandwiches at the lodge if we’re not out & about) & evening meal. All dietary needs will be accommodated of course.

Itinerary:

Monday 4th June: arrive after 3pm, with our evening meal planned for 7:30pm followed by an introductory meeting

Tues - Saturday: daily activities exploring the area + evening talks & playback / review sessions to be scheduled according to the good old Scottish weather - if its fine we’ll be out exploring no doubt !

Given the location & the wealth of environments nearby it is advised that participants have their own transport & are prepared to spend some time during the week working independently or in smaller groups. We will attempt to car share for exploring further afield once there & in the run up to the course we’ll connect all participants so that any car sharing / lifts to & from the accommodation can also be arranged. There are plenty of locations nearby, including several Munro’s & renowned walking routes, for those who want to explore on foot of course. Jez & Chris will of course be on hand to assist and guide people who wish to learn more about the techniques they use or simply to join in their explorations. 

some of the locations nearby include:

. 21 Munros within a 15 mile radius inc. Glas Maol, Tolmount, Cairnwell, Can a Gheoildh & Ben Gulabin

. Glenshee Glen , Glen Lochsie & Glen Tairneach

. The Cateran trail - a walking path used by 15th century cattle rustlers

. several Loch’s inc. Loch Vrotachan, Loch Beanie, Auchintaple Loch & Loch Muick

. Corrie Fee National Nature Reserve

. Mar Lodge Estate, home to BBC’s Winterwatch

. several water courses of various sizes inc. Allta Ghlinne Bhig, Alt Coolah & Shee water + small glen pools that should be rich with aquatic flora & fauna.

. during the week we’ll hold screenings of films with a strong connection to located sound including Emily Richardson’s ‘Cobra Mist’ (soundtrack by Chris Watson & Benedict Drew), Amanda Belantara’s ‘Sonotoki’ capturing simple moments of daily life in a Japanese village, Heather Ross' 'Domestic Dawn Chorus' & a rare UK screening of Christopher Thompson’s documentary ‘The New Wild’ on how human use of remote natural spaces is changing.

Sunday 10th June: depart after breakfast by 11am.

Gulabin Lodge also has on site mountain bike rental which is available for an additional charge payable directly to the lodge owners (£20 per day / £60 for 5 days).

We will be based some distance from the nearest town, Blairgowrie which is approx 35 mins by car, so it is advised that you arrive with any additional supplies you might need for the week, though i’m sure we’ll be making at least one trip to restock. 

Although we are going to be in a stunning part of Scotland we would advise that there might well be different sonic elements audible in some of our surroundings; walkers, flights overhead, road hum in the distance in some locations at certain times. Aspects of the reality of environmental sound will be discussed during the trip, including whether expectation might serve to separate us from the reality of a planet in constant flux.

Following the trip participants will be welcome to contribute recordings or pieces stemming from the trip to a special edition of Framework (Resonance FM) curated & compiled by Jez & Pheobe, along similar lines to the ‘a quiet position - orford ness’  edition, which can be found here: a quiet position - orford ness

Above all the trip will be a chance for us to gather together & spend several days listening, recording, sharing our experience and generally having a great time meeting good folks. So do join us & be part of this murmuration of listeners !



guest artists:

Stephanie Sartorio John

http://stephaniejohn.com/biography/

http://touch33.net/mentorship

I am an artist and musician who creates sound installations and performances. I am interested in the sound of British industry, the sonic effects of the industrial revolution and the tension between humans and landscape.

I started working with field recordings whilst studying at the Royal College of Art where I found the act of listening and recording an effective way of counter-acting the digital image. I went on to spend time researching the sonic effects of the industrial revolution and as a result produced a quadrophonic sound installation made up of recordings taken at Trostre tinplate works in Wales. 

In more recent work I have become concerned with the privatisation of public space and the enclosures of the 18th & 19th centuries, and have just begun a project investigating the sounds of silk weaving. 

I’m looking forward to a week purely dedicated to the pursuit of listening. Such times always enrich and deepen my practise from a practical and conceptual view point.  I’m also very much looking forward to spending a week with fellow recordists/artists discussing sound and recording in  beautiful landscapes. 

Stephanie give an informal talk to the group about her work and present her piece ‘Steel Cymreig’ in quad surround. 

Heather Ross

http://www.heatherross.co.uk/index.html

Heather is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work often involves elements of sound, film and text related to place or situation. Amongst her widely exhibited films Heather’s ‘Domestic Dawn Chorus’ was most recently screened at the ‘Sound + Environment’ conference at Hull University.

Ross’s work is concerned with activating written and visual material, using a generative practice by which the subject in question can be re-thought and experienced sensorially. This process might involve, for example, translating a written description of sound or behaviour through performance to interrogate and generate meaning. Currently undertaking a PhD with Newcastle University, her research is focussed on Kurt Schwitters’ Merzbarn Wall (1947-48), situated within The Hatton Gallery, Newcastle. Her project aims to interrogate environmental, social and archival material relating to this structure and to generate new readings and experiences of it as an expanded, time- based artwork in the present.

Recent shows have included A Bird in the Head, Danielle Arnaud, London; All The Better To Hear You With, Merzbarn, Cumbria and Works For Air, Hanover Project, Preston. Heather recently completed a Heritage Lottery Funded project with artist, Lukas Hornby, to re-print the archive of Gwyneth Alban Davis and their publication The Caravan Press: Making Visible The Archive of Gwyneth Alban Davis was launched in September 2017. 

Heather has worked as a Lecturer in Fine Art at The University of Central Lancashire since 2015 and has previously taught at Chelsea College of Art (2016-17) and Grays School of Art, Aberdeen (2006-12).

-Statement about Domestic Dawn Chorus:

Domestic Dawn Chorus forms part of a larger body of work entitled On Being Out of Touch (2014-17). This project responded to feelings of alienation from the natural environment,  employing 'The Observer's Book of Birds' as a tool from which to mine descriptions, text and images for their interpretative possibilities. The film, Domestic Dawn Chorus operates from a distanced position - interrogating the birds through the portal of books which seek to describe or represent them. The work addresses knowledge and knowing as a process; encouraging the activation of information through finding equivalents in the everyday or familiar, drawing on memory and processing information through play.

Leah Barclay

http://leahbarclay.com/

Leah is an Australian sound artist, composer and researcher working at the intersection of art, science and technology. She specialises in electroacoustic music, acoustic ecology and emerging fields of biology exploring environmental patterns and changes through sound. Her work has been commissioned, performed and exhibited to wide acclaim internationally by organisations including Smithsonian Museum, UNESCO, Ear to the Earth, Al Gore’s Climate Reality and the IUCN. She composes complex sonic environments, immersive live performances and interactive installations that draw attention to changing climates and fragile ecosystems. She leads several large-scale research projects including Biosphere Soundscapes, an interdisciplinary venture exploring the changing soundscapes of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and River Listening, which examines the creative possibilities of aquatic ecoacoustics in collaboration with the Australian Rivers Institute. Leah’s diverse creative practice has resulted in a career where she works as a researcher, artist, curator and educator with various organisations and institutions. These include designing immersive education programs for UNESCO, directing large-scale interdisciplinary research projects for major universities across Australia and the USA and facilitating partnerships between communities, NGOs and government to explore creative approaches to climate action in remote and regional locations. Leah is the president of the Australian Forum for Acoustic Ecology, the vice-president of the World Forum of Acoustic Ecology and serves on the board of a range of arts and environmental organisations. She is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre where she is leading a portfolio of research in acoustic ecology and climate change.

• booking terms & conditions: you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of £95 within 10 days of booking a place, with the balance due by January 31st 2018. In the event that you are no longer able to attend please let us know as soon as possible. If this is after you have paid the full amount you will be refunded minus the deposit & we will then try to find someone to fill your place. If you cancel within 6 weeks of the start of the trip (22/4/2018) or don’t inform us that you can’t attend we will be unable to return your payment unless a replacement can be found as the costs have been carefully calculated per space on the trip. Of course in the event of unforeseen circumstances we will do whatever we can to assist & try to ensure the best outcome for all.
• for full terms & conditions please see the website here: 

Sound Devices mixpre 3 and 6 - initial thoughts

firstly some caveats: i’m not a ‘location sound crew’ chap & so I use recording technology as part of an artistic process that is dependant not on the technology as the driver of the process or its goal but rather an intuitive meeting point between content, intent, chance and the tools used. I am not interested in the erroneous idea of a ‘perfect’ sound or, more to the point, a narrow view of technological precision as a means of assessing the result. With this in mind if I acquire any new tool, be it a camera, a recorder, a microphone or an instrument, the success of my relationship with it could best be summarised as it ‘feeling’ right, an intuitive response that allows me to concentrate not on the technology but on the creative content, either performed or otherwise perceived. I

When it comes to portable sound recording devices the technical quality is increasingly high and democratic in its accessibility. This has lots of benefits of course but it is not, in any way, a guarantee of anything, especially the listening or the created content. Whether it be in musical instruments, cameras or audio recording devices i’ve never been interested in buying the latest model or trying to keep up with some (it has to be said stereotypically male) attitude that fetishises equipment. I’ve used the same recorder (Sound Devices) for several years now, alongside older ones that, for me, connect with a musical / material driven approach to sound exploration (tape & minidisc recorders for example). However the launch of the mixpre3 / 6 tempted me & so i’ve spent the last few weeks seeing how the mp6 ‘felt’. Whether it allowed me to focus on the listening, to fit into my process so to speak.

Overall i’m pleased with it. It feels solid, reliable and in terms of the sound quality, it, mostly, is in line with my experience with Sound Devices equipment over the years. As i’ve said elsewhere there are one or two key niggles:

1. companies such as Sound Devices have, in my opinion, to begin taking into account that their previous core market (location sound) is now the smallest sector & those of us who have different approaches to listening would, for example, appreciate much better headphone pre-amps, especially for durational listening & for when working with extended methods (contact microphones, hydrophones etc).
2. there are some grey areas in understanding key functions that also reflect the fact that SD are still ‘speaking’ to location sound recordists & failing to grasp that there are aspects of that area of sound culture that many users actively choose to reject for various reasons. Some of these areas are about certain features such as the limiters (on or off in some modes where selection isn’t an option for example) & fader function / structures. 
3. A firmware fix is needed to allow linking of 4 channels for ambisonic recording. SD perhaps sped up the release of the MP3/6 as a reaction to the success of the Zoom F series but it still needs to fully grasp & accept that users now expect to be able to use double m/s or ambisonic systems as a ‘standard’ ability of any recorder / mixer.
4. A hirose connector for mains or other powering options would have also been useful. It can however be acquired by purchasing an additional sled (from Hawk Woods), as indeed can Li-ion battery operation.
5. i’m also somewhat intrigued by the occasional noise that occurs when you switch modes without turning the knobs / gain faders down. Its mentioned by SD but its slightly unclear as to why this happens or what the long term effect could be. Some further explanation / details would be interesting.

(* i’ll note at this point that my mixpre6 is having to be returned as it has a fault. With unterminated inputs & all settings identical the noise level on channel 1 is significantly higher than all other channels. It might be worth other users doing this test. Unterminated inputs can vary but Sound Devices confirmed via email that the levels should still be similar).

So, it is a bit less intuitive ‘out of the box’ so to speak. Once has to spend longer getting to grips with its menu & the different operating options than with most other devices in this area, but that is partly of course because it isn’t designed simply as a portable recorder: its a pre-amp / mixer / recorder & so there’s a bit more scrolling through menu’s & setting input / fader & record options at first. 

Once you have your core setting’s established the mixpre6 is a very compact, solid & impressive recorder. The new Kashmir pre-amps sound nice with conventional microphones & tests so far seem to show equally impressive results with extended recording techniques (contact mics, hydrophones etc). The headphone amplifier however sounds different than the one used in the 7 series recorders & with contact mics this means one has to spend some time getting used to the difference between what one can hear in the field & the resulting recording.

I’ve been running tests on different powering solutions & find that the ravpower usb-c power packs last for days. I’ve also received the new Hawk Woods sleds for powering via Hirose and via MDV / L-mount batteries. As is to be expected from Hawk Woods these are well built and thought out additions to the mixpre's and have been testing well. The ergonomics of the SD version of the MDV / L-mount sled are somewhat cumbersome for those of us who aren’t location crew recordists and indeed for those who are but don't like the way the two batteries stick out top and bottom from the mixpre. 

. Hawk Woods SD-1 retails in the UK for £108 & allows the mixpre's to be power from a main power supply with hirose connector or indeed with NP1 batteries with their associated hirose shoes.

. Hawk Woods SD-2 retails in the UK for £144 & allows for the mixpre's to be powered by 1 MDV / L-mount battery, which expands the run time, with a 7200mah battery, to between 8-12 hours at least.

I tend not to spend time on the various forums for sound - they are, as readers will know, largely blokes talking about kit in ways that reflect the problematic idea that the technology is what matters most. What I will say is that for anyone who likes a more creative, explorative approach to sound the mixpre’s offer the possibilities that really quiet pre-amps can bring in a small enough device to be able to carry it around any situation; urban or rural. Those familiar with the SD 7-series recorders will perhaps want to know whether it sounds as good & my reply is that i’m suitably impressed so far but it’ll take me a few months to know whether the mixpre6 ‘connects’ to me sonically in the same way as my other SD recorder does. I need to reach a point where I listen through it rather than to it.

well, I have to see I do feel rather chuffed that JrF hydrophones are being used on Planet Earth II with Attenborough & have been used to identify & record, for the first time, a new species of river dolphin !

50 minutes in:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b083wt7z/planet-earth-ii-3-jungles